Such continuously variable transmissions are, for example, in the form of toroid drives or traction mechanism drives, the contact pressure of the transmission means, such as a link chain or thrust link conveyor, being controlled for the most part as a function of torque. The purpose of such transmissions is on the one hand to permit transmission of the drive torque as free of slippage as possible but on the other to counteract efficiency losses and wear resulting from application of too great a contact pressure force to the transmission means.
DE 42 01 692 A1 also discloses additional configuration of the contact pressure so that it is not dependent on the transmission ratio, for example, the contact pressure on the link chain in a traction mechanism drive being higher with a smaller effective belt contact radius on the drive side and lower with a greater belt contact radius on the drive side.